Casino Royale

I wasn't that convinced when I heard that Daniel Craig was the new Bond - a blonde Bond? Plus he didn't quite have the Bond look (I liked Pierce Brosnan's charm and 'suaveness'). But, after watching Casino Royale last night, I think Craig is a fantastic choice! He's very different from Brosnan and seems to make Bond more believable and more human. And I like this brooding, dark, intense new Bond (as opposed to Brosnan's pretty boy, metrosexual Bond).

Back to the movie... Casino Royale is actually the first of the Bond stories as Bond has just gotten his '00' status (and incidentally the movie is apparently pretty close to the story in the book by Ian Fleming). There is a bit more focus on Bond and for once, Bond actually seems to draw blood in fight scenes! The fight scenes and stunts are more down-to-earth (no flying through the air after a crashing airplane kinda stuff). For once, there are no fancy gadgets, no Q, so Bond has to resort to 'normal' weapons. And don't worry, there are still enough explosions and fight scenes to keep the guys happy. There is a good story line and good characterisation. We also see more of M (Judy Dench), which is great.

Overall, I really recommend the movie. Its different from the the last few Bond movies though still has good effects (explosions), is slick and there are nice cars. I used to put Bond movies into the brainless entertainment category but now I think its a movie I would recomemmend to 'serious' moviegoers. At least I didn't go away thinking I had wasted $12 and should have just watched it on DVD (like I did with MI3). I think characterising Bond as brooding, dark and intense definitely has added a lot of depth to the character and the movie. I'm already looking forward to the next Bond movie!

Tis that time of year again

Christmas is just around the corner. Its less than a week to go. I'd hate to be in town this week and next weekend. I'm sure it will be crazy at the malls.

I have to say I'm not a big fan of Christmas. Before I go on rambling, just wanna say, I am not the Grinch nor am I scrooge-like (maybe?). I used to like the Christmas season. Maybe for the novelty of it. Growing in Malaysia we went carolling for the entire week before Christmas and was involved in the midnight mass at the Anglican parish I went to. So weeks leading up to Christmas meant lots and lots of practices. But I did enjoy it. Cos I got to do things that I didn't get to do at other times of the year and I got to hang out heaps with my friends. Christmas wasn't much of a family event when I grew up. We had a meal together maybe with friends or relatives and my parents would give us presents. But its was simple and low-key.

I find Christmas in NZ very stressful (or perhaps I am just getting older and grumpier). You feel left out if you didn't have family or didn't have friends to spend Christmas with. You finally have some time off work but your friends are all stressed and have left to go back to wherever their families are gathering for Christmas. Then there is the mad Christmas rush where there are lots of people everywhere - malls, shops, supermarkets etc. Its stressful just watching them!

I've given up buying people Christmas presents. First of all, I can't figure what to buy. Then you just go ahead and buy something and wonder if they will actually use it or chuck it in a dark corner of their room. Then you wonder who else have you forgotten and mostly then if you are like me, you will go shopping in the last week leading up to Christmas when the whole city is out shopping, so you are pushing and shoving while still deciding what to buy. So I have decided that I will not buy any presents for people because it is just far too stressful. Anyways, there is a website that suggests just that. So perhaps I will spend my money on a piglet or a goat or an acre of farmland. Let me know if you wanna go halves on a donkey. They cost quite a bit but will go a long way...

The Time Traveller's Wife

I have really enjoyed reading this well-written book. It is essentially an old-fashioned, boy-meets-girl, love story. Except that Henry met Clare when he was in his 40s and she was 6 and then they got married when he was 30 and she was 22. How? Well, he is a time-traveller.

The book chronicles the many magical meetings between Clare and Henry as she as growing up (and him time travelling to meet her) and also their life together. Imagine meeting the person you are to marry as an adult as you are growing up. But only being able to meet him for brief moments sometimes months or even years apart. As you can imagine its not a "normal" relationship at all as Henry suffers from a rare medical condition - he time travels. He is prone to disappearing from the present at any time which also makes their relationship interesting. At times, Henry in the present is interacting with a Henry that has time travelled. We also get a glimpse of what life was for Henry as he grew up (he started time travelling when he was very young) and also of Clare's life which helps flesh out and give life to the characters.

The book is written as a first person narration. So we get the story from Clare's or Henry's perspective. It is very easy to read and I was very quickly engrossed in the lives of Henry and Clare. I highly recommend it. It will make a nice easy read for the summer.